Draft-regulator for chimneys



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Patented May 19, 1896.

MTN-55555.

wf@ I UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

lVALTER B. FO\VLER, OF LAVRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRAFT-REGULATOR FOR CHININEYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,264, dated May 19,1896.

Application filed January 2S, 1896. Serial No. 577.110. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, VALTER B. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft- Regulators forChimneys, of which the following is a specification. f

This is an improved draft-regulator constructed to be applied directlyto the chimney of a building and to open into the chimney-flue withwhich the pipe from the stove or other heating apparatus connects.

The object of the device is to regulate the draft in thehouse-chimneyitself directly, instead of applying` a draft-regulator (asis frequently done) to the furnace or other heating apparatus.

The nature of the invention is fully de-` scribed below and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation ofmy improved draft-regulator in position upon a chimney. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical transverse section of the same.

Similar let-ters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the masonry forming a part of the chimney, and A is arectangular open` ing leading from the outside through the masonry intothe flue o, such opening being of the size and shape of thedraft-regulator. The draft-regulator comprises a rectangular frame, ofwhich B and B' are the upper and lower walls, and C and C' the sidewalls. These walls constituting the frame are provided with an integralflange D, which sets against the masonry, as shown, and which is securedthereto by means of ears E, through holes in which bolts e are driveninto the seams or spaces between the bricks.

All the above is preferably made of ironA casting. Y

The front edges of the top, bottom, and sides B l C C are'formed withintegral inwardly-projecting flanges F. Hinged at H to the front edge ofthe side C or to the flange F, extending inwardly therefrom, is thedoor-frame K. This is a rectangular frame of substantially the shapeshown, and from the inner side of the upper portion K' thereof extendtwo integral ears L, which are horizontally perforated to receiveloosely the rod N. This rod has rigidly secured to its under side thethin metallic plate P, hanging down vertically behindthe door-frame Kand of size and shape to close and extend across both vertically andhorizontally the opening therein. The rod N extends through an openingOH in the side wall C and then bends up vertically into the portion N',and thence horizontall y and rearwardly into the portion N". Upon theportions N and Nl respectively are placed sliding weights S and S, whichare capable of being adjusted and held at any desired position bysuitable set-screws V.

l/V is an ordinary handle for opening and closing the door and isadapted to rest upon the bracket or ear W', extending from the frontedge of the wall C.

The ordinary position of the door-frame K K' is closed, as shown in thedrawings, and the normal position of the plate or valve P is that shownin full lines in the drawingsviz., vertical and closed-being held insuch position by the weights S S. While the parts are in this positionthe draft in the chimneyflueis unaffected, and no external air reachesit save through the furnace; but should the draft in the chimney becomeso great as to produce a partial vacuum next the rear side of the plateor valve P the pressure of the external air upon the surface of theswinging valve P would swing it inward, somewhat as indicated by brokenlines in Fig. 2, against the power of the weights S S. It will readilybe seen that by adjusting the weights upon the portions N Nl of the bentrod the amount of force required to swing the valve P inward may begreater or less, as desired.

Thus the locations of the weights may be varied to accommodate differentatmospheric conditions and different drafts. Thus if the draft of thechimney is vdriving the fire in the furnace too much air is let into thelocality of the source of the draft, which is not the furnace,` but thechimney, and the draft is regulated by the valve lifting whenever theincreased pressure-as by a rising wind, for example*is sufficient toovercome the power of the weightsin the positions set.

The employment of the two weights S and S', one sliding on a line atright angles with the line of movement of the other, enables IOO theadjustment of the plate or blind P to be rendered very exact. Inpractice the weight S' is first moved (a day when the atmosphere isquiet or nearly so being selected) until the plate or blind P is in avertical position, but so nearly counterbalanced by the weight that theslightest force will be sufficient to swing it in or open it. The weightS is then moved upward to a greater or less ext-ent, according to thepower of the draft at the time of such movement, until the plate orblind is in the above-described position-that is to say, susceptible ofbeing swung in at the slightest increase of draft. In other words, theoriginal or more permanent adjustment is made by moving the weight S andthe adjustment to the exact conditions at a particular time made by theweight S. Thus the weights balance each other, and the two weightscombined balance the plate P.

The swinging-door frame is important, inasmuch as in the summer-time itmay be swung open entirely, thus causing the device to act asaventilator. Moreover, as the plate or blind P must be made of exceedingthin material and should it closely on its seat in the doorframe, suchframe at that point must be made exceedingly smooth in order to producea close and tight iit. As both the door-frame and the frame B B' C C arecast 1t 1s found in practice much easier to reach and grind the innersurface of the door-frame than it would be to reach and grind the rearsurface of the flanges F, against which the plate must necessarilyTswing in case a swinging door were not employed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a building-chimney provided with a suitable openingin its side leading from the outside thereof to the flue; a frame orcase secured to the outside of said chimney coincident with said openingand consisting of top, bottom and sides with an open front; a plate orvalve P hung vertically within the opening in said frame; the horizontalrod N rigidly secured to the upper portion of said plate or valve andextending outward therefrom, said rod being thence bent up into thevertical portion N and thence rearward into the horizontal portion N"the weight S adjustably secured to said vertical portion N; and theweight S' ad justably sccured to said horizontal portion N, whereby theexternal pressure of air may swing said plate or valve inward againstthe power of the weights and allow the admission of air directly intothe chimney, substantially as described.

l VALTER B. FOWLER.

lVitnesses:

HENRY lV.` NVILLIAMS, A. N. PONNEY.

